City comparison
Des Moines, IA vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 6.1% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $106,100 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $771 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI ($107,301 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Des Moines, IA | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,092 in Madison | $94,258 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$771/yr.
51 Fair offer
Madison, WI → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$771/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Madison, WI | Real change, Des Moines → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $61,722 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $74,678 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $89,508 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $106,437 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $125,776 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $63,690 | $60,033 (−2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $130,630 | $123,130 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $81,130 | $76,472 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $101,190 | $95,380 (+21.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.